Vintage Waterfront Scenes

Snug Harbor, Staten Island, N.Y. (see citation)

Waterfront scenes from North America are common on vintage postcards.

Waterfronts were vital areas during the colonial period and remain an important part of North America's economic infrastructure.

Vintage postcards of waterfront areas showcase every aspect of early American life.

Cards feature city waterfront views, harbors, vessels, beaches, ocean sunrises, lighthouses, birds, marine mammals, and countless other subjects.

Early American postcards depicted cities of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts. Inland waterfronts were also popular, especially scenes from the Great Lakes, major rivers, and other waterways.

image source:

Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy, The New York Public Library. "Bath House, Sailor's (sic) Snug Harbor, Staten Island, N.Y." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47d9-ca14-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Fruits and Vegetables Photos

Fruits, vegetables, and other food items are popular subjects for photography. Although many foods are widely available, they can be a challenge to photograph.

There are a number of factors that need to be considered when photographing fruits and vegetables. Of particular importance are quality, freshness, color, and availability.

Many foods have a short shelf life, which limits the time available when the photographer can capture an image. As fruits and vegetables loose their freshness, color, texture, and overall appearance usually decline.

In addition to time, factors such as temperature, humidity, and sunlight can affect fruits and vegetables.

Wild Blueberries Postcard

In order to overcome these challenges, photographers must often go to great lengths in order to capture an image. This means working in the field, often literally. Many of the best photos are shot on site, at farms, orchards, gardens, or other locations.

When it is not practical to visit growing areas, photographers sometimes seek out another segment of the the food supply chain. Possible locations often include food wholesalers, produce auctions, farm stores, produce stands, farmers markets, festivals, and other sources.

After locating fruits and vegetables, the photographer may choose to photograph food items on site, obtain foods for later use, or both. As always, time, environmental conditions, and other factors will affect photographs.

Fresh Blueberries Photograph Postcard

Marine Mammal Line Art

Whales, dolphins, porpoises, walruses, seals, sea lions, and other marine mammals are often seen on postcards, notecards, and other printed media. Although photo postcards are extremely popular, marine mammals are also immortalized thru line art drawings, pencil sketches, and other art forms.

Sperm Whale Illustration (line art) Postcard

Whale artwork is popular with enthusiasts of all ages. Some of the oldest designs were produced by naturalists who encountered whales at sea. Some whale encounters were intended while others occurred simply by chance during ocean voyages.

Atlantic White Sided Dolphin Postcard

Images of dolphins and porpoises are also found on postcards and other printed artwork. These smaller cetaceans commonly play among ships and other vessels.

Steller Sea Lion Post Card

Pinniped line art drawings also attract interest from postcard hobbyists, nature enthusiasts, and nautical art collectors. Members of the pinniped group of marine mammals include seals, sea lions, and walruses.

An extensive collection of marine mammal line art logos can be found at north_america online store.

Postcards Suitable For Invitations

Sailboats Logo Cards

Consumers have countless options to choose from when shopping online for affordable invitations and other announcements. Among the most commonly used products are notecards, postcards, or other printed materials. In most cases, the occasion will dictate which type of media will be suitable for an announcement.

Events such as weddings, graduations, or formal dinners usually require the most elaborate announcements. In these situations, notecards are a good option. Popular notecards include bi-fold styles in either a portrait or landscape print orientation.

For less formal events, a simple postcard may be appropriate. Postcards are also useful for reminders and other brief communications. When small quantities of customized announcements are required, postcards or notecards are very cost effective.

Regardless of which print format is chosen, card designs are available for almost any theme or subject. Some designs might signify a season, place, or important event. Others communicate an interest, such as a sport, hobby, or passion.

Canvasback Line Art

When selecting artwork for invitations, there are many variations from which to choose. The simplest designs feature text-only layouts. Another simple art form that is common on cards is line art, also known as line drawings. Artwork in this genre is done in black and white or grayscale. Line art designs are good choices when a simple representations are required.

Cards featuring color illustrations are also popular for invitations, announcements, and other communications. With an endless variety of illustrations, finding a color scheme to match a theme is usually easy.

Canada Goose and Goslings Post Cards

In some cases, cards that incorporate photography are the most appropriate option. In most cases, photos occupy the entire postcard or notecard cover. Other designs combine one or more small photos with accompanying text or graphics.

After selecting the card layout and artwork, buyers may want to consider customized text. A basic card might contain artwork only, with no titles or captions. Through customization, buyers can add titles, captions, or other pre-printed text.

For example, if a club or organization needed to send out a limited number of reminders or invitations, a basic logo would be chosen and custom text added. If additional cards were needed later, a second order could be placed.

To see an extensive collection of regional, nature, hobby, and sports-related card designs, visit North America online store.

Loon Postcard

Postcards make excellent gifts for birdwatchers. Bird-themed postcards are available for an incredible range of bird species. In addition to bird photographs, artists offer illustration, line art, and other options.

This Common Loon postcard by North America online store features a simple line art logo and is available in either titled or untitled versions.

One of the most useful features of these products is customization. As with most products available in this online store, this loon postcard can be fully customized by adding text, resizing, or even adding additional graphics to the existing design.

Customized items make great gifts for birdwatchers or outdoor enthusiasts.